EMILY's List takes risk on Wendy Davis

The head of the Democratic Governors Association may not be high on Wendy Davis and her chances in Texas, but EMILY’s List is totally behind the woman whose filibuster against an abortion bill made her a national star.

“Until we are 50% of the governors and 50% of the Senate and 50% of the House, we can take some risks,” EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock told USA TODAY and Gannett reporters Monday. “We see a path to victory for Wendy Davis. We’re not saying it’s easy, but there is a path.”

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, chairman of the Democratic governors’ group, caused a stir this month when he said the Texas race between Davis and Republican Greg Abbott is not a top priority for the DGA.

“We’re hopeful in Texas, but we’ll be candid about the fact that we all understand Democrats haven’t won in Texas in a long time,” Shumlin said, according to The Wall Street Journal. “We hope this will be our year.”

Ann Richards in 1990 was the last Democrat to win a Texas governor’s race, but Texas Democrats hope that the state’s changing demographics will help propel Davis to victory.

EMILY’s List, which supports Democratic women who favor abortion rights, has been with Davis from the beginning and helped her as she gained national prominence. Schriock vowed EMILY’s List will be with Davis “all the way.”

“And we’ll do everything we can to change the minds of our friends, so by the time summer rolls around or maybe early fall, Gov. Shumlin and others are thinking, ‘Wow. Maybe we should get involved in Texas,’ and then we have done our job,” she said.

Schriock said EMILY’s List is on pace to exceed the $52 million it spent in the 2012 presidential election.